yes, my toddler has chores

“What the hand does the mind remembers.” ~ Maria Montessori

I delight in the compliments that are given to Apple and Dos, well Apple for the most part about his table manners and his behavior at school and in public. I care that he learns academia but I also want polite, respectful and somewhat well, a KID.

I mean kids will be kids. Don’t get me wrong, I know they will not be completely innocent or well mannered at all times but we hope to instill a solid foundation that they will return to.

Train a child up, right?

So this brings us to responsibilities that they have around the house as toddlers. My fiancé grew up on a farm and tells the tales of the hard work that came with his adolescent years. He definitely knows the meaning of hard work and working together as a family unit. For the most part he handles the discipline.

They don’t listen to me unless I say it a thousand times.

What’s with that?

My worst nightmare as a parent is to raise selfish entitled little brats that no one likes. We’re doing our best to teach them that sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want and get nothing for it!

I refuse to pay a child to do chore. Doesn’t make sense to me. This household is a well oiled machine and everyone does their part to keep it up and running and that include chores. Although the boys are very young we don’t feel it’s ever too early to instill responsibility.

Chores build self esteem a build self-esteem believe it is not. When the boys wake up they have what we call the Morning High Five that we try to keep in our morning routine. I found this diagram to follow online and you just implement the five activities you’d like to teach them.

This is how we start our routine each morning.

Makes their beds

Changes out of PJs and into clothes

Eats breakfast

Kitchen chore (put dishes in sink, wipe table down)

Brush their teeth

All of these activities they absolutely need assistance with and met with resistance the first few times.

But they are now adamant about doing things for themselves.

It’s a double edged sword.

No problem, shawty!!!

Now first let me say there is nothing wrong with the way YOU want to parent. I’m just giving you insight into our day. Everything ain’t for everybody. Do you Mama!!!! We on the other hand just feel that doing everything for them all the time instills a sense of entitlement that someone will pick up or clean after them all the time.

Plus, I’m just not doing it, nope!

People ask me how do I handle two toddlers and my best advice is consistency and routines. Routines are still difficult for me to master, you see I am the most unstructured person. I live spontaneously. But with kids I had to take a step back or two. Kids need consistency and stability. It allows them to feel safe and secure. They want and crave boundaries they just don’t know it.

So, Apple has caught on to his routines and even will remind me if I forget a time or two. We currently have three fish, Sushi, Tigguh and Kleo and he “helps” with cleaning the tank.

***** update we no longer have the fish. We’ll just stick to dogs.

As you can see in the growth spurt he’s been doing this for a while now.

Teamwork.

So when I get those simple compliments it makes me proud that they are continuing what they have learned away from home.

Half of my job is then done!!

What types of chores do you give your toddler or do they not have chores?